Painting the Map Red: The Fight to Create a Permanent Republican Majority (by Hugh Hewitt)

Book info at Amazon ^ | April 25, 2006 | Hugh Hewitt

[Spiff]

I'd prefer a permanant conservative majority. With few exceptions, republicans have proven they cannot be trusted.

Sad. But true. While the grassroots of the Republican Party impresses me, the current party leadership and the majority of Republicans in Congress absolutely disgust me.

[cgbg]

stalemate is good

It is good--the problem is that when the two sides "compromise" the taxpayers take it in the rear end.

When the Pubbies rule the same thing happens.

Ditto for the Rats.

That is why we used to have a Constitution that had strong limits on the Federal government--before the Supreme Court started "reinventing" it.

There is no solution any more--the vast majority of the pols are the problem.

We were a great nation--now we are drifting aimlessly towards the one world socialist morass.

How about enacting some new legislation granting the "right" to "free medical care" and a "free college education"--yeah, that will work....:-(

Some future generation will figure this out--but the transition will be nasty....

[chris1]

Remember when Newt and BJ were fighting over a balanced budget?????????

That is what I want to see, not this garbage from "our side" that if it were BJ, the same people would be screaming.

[kimosabe31]

You are wrong. On every issue where the congress did something you disagreed with, I'll bet it was because of the 45 democrats. Get rid of the democrats and you will get almost everything you want. Get rid of the rinos and you will get next to nothing that you want.

Wake up staytrue. They're the majority party. They control both houses and the Whitehouse. When the demos have similar control, they just "steamroll" over the repubs. The majority ofrepubs are RINO "butt kissers" and cowards....period.

[Potowmack]

I don't want a permanent Republican majority. If a party stays in power for too long, it loses ideological focus and becomes stagnant. The GOP was at its best when it first came out of the political wilderness in 1994. After 12 years in the majority, I think we can all agree that the party needs to re-focus.

What I would prefer, rather than a permanent GOP majority, would be to have a Democrat party that actually fulfil's it's role as the "loyal opposition." These days, the Dems present no viable alternatives in terms of ideas, ideology, programs etc. They're just the anti-GOP party. The GOP, therefore, doesn't have to work too hard to hone its ideas. It doesn't take much to win an argument with a simpleton.

[staytrue]

Wake up kimosabe.

The repubs are ineffective because the democrats have decided that the way back to power is to destroy the US and blame it on the R's.

When the dems are in power, the r's do not take the same attitude. The dems are solidly obstructionists in the minority in a way the r's will never be.

[SmoothTalker]

I'm sick of the spend-crazy weak-kneed Republican Majority. What i'd love to see is a book on how to get a conservative majority.

[California Patriot]

Yes on both counts.

Bush's first term was crippled in many respects by our loss of four Senate seats in 2000. We clawed back to a one-vote majority in 2002, but that wasn't much good. Now that we have a decent-sized majority, the air has gone out of Bush's balloon. 60 seems virtually impossible in 2006, but every Senate election affects the Senate for years to come.
We must build toward the day when we have a first-term Republican president AND 60 Republican senators. Part of that, I agree, is:

DUMP CHAFEE!!!!!

[Once-Ler]

So you are against taxpayer funded libraries- Are you for taxpayer funded stadiums? How about taxpayer funded schools?

I'm against both. I however will not reject the support of those who favor increasing school voucher programs but not the abolishment of the NEA. If some mislead soul does support building a stadium with my money, I can still find common ground with them on issues like right to life, RTKBA, taxcuts, supporting the military, and recognizing Cristmas and keeping God in our national pledge and money.

Thanks for your reply.

[Rodney King]

This from the guy who wanted Harriet Miers on the Supreme Court.

[Rodney King]

So you are against taxpayer funded libraries- Are you for taxpayer funded stadiums? How about taxpayer funded schools?

I'm against all three.

[California Patriot]

"I don't want a permanent Republican majority. If a party stays in power for too long ..."

You are making a big assumption -- that the Republican party is one party. Actually, it's two parties: conservatives and sissy accommodationists. If the Rat party collapsed, we would still have the RINOs.

[Uncle Miltie]

Hugh's a good guy, but Conservatives may stay home this fall. Our "Republican" Congress and President have proved unwilling to maintain fiscal discipline, one of only two or three key planks of Conservatism. When you lose your base by failing to adhere to core principles, you risk loss.

I may "stay home" figuratively this fall. Tough noogies. I'm not going to work to keep a bunch of free spenders in office.

A Democrat Congress would be proper punishment for abdication of responsibility and the raping of ideals.

[91B]

The Dhimmicrats believe in nothing and stand for nothing other than their own power and they would see the entire country burned to the ground to regain a majority in either house or the executive. There are plenty of people who are bitching about what the Republicans have failed to do and that is fair enough, but what the Dhimmis would actually do if they ever regained power is enough to ensure my vote for anyone with an R after their name for the forseeable future.

[de Buillion]

"I'm against all three. "

Since I put forth the question, I feel a responsibiliy to answer the same question. I feel that our traditional American society requires, with historical good reason, public taxpayer support of libraries and schools thru high school. This support does come with requirements, however, and I feel like the public school system in many areas is currently undeserving of public support, because of the infestation of the hard left liberal wing of our country on the teaching staff. The schools should be required to meet certain minimal standards to be eligible to recieve public money. The same applies to Libraries.

I further feel that public (taxpayer) financing of stadiums, etc., is totally inappropriate. ( If we're gonna do that, why not whorehouses and casinos? Might be a lot more profitable!)

[Let's Roll]

Well said - it should be engraved on the foreheads of all those who insist there is no difference.

[Once-Ler]

My opposition to public schools and libraries stems from a philosophy that government does very little well, and not an aversion to government promoting the general welfare. I'm sure we both agree that government has a responsibility to build prisons and military bases. The difference is in degree where we draw our limits of government obligation. My political philosophy isn't immune to practical reality. Tax payer funded schools and libraries are here now and I can live with this socialism if they are implemented efficiently.

I also know my opinion is not a majority one. Most people believe government has at least some obligation to provide for those who can't provide for themselves. Whether that is schools, libraries, SS, unemployment insurance, college loans, S&L bailout, highways, FEMA, food stamps, farm subsidies, sanitariums, or adoption homes...most people benefit from government largess in some way.

There are much easier targets to go after than schools and libraries. Eventually a free market solution will usurp taxpayer schools, and the internet will replace libraries.

We both can agree taxpayer funded stadiums is government profiteering, and I liked your gambling and prostitution analogy. Thanx for your response

[de Buillion]

I think that we have much more in common than I originally thought. I am totally upset with our public school teachers' performance, as well as our college professors' collective attitudes, but that in itself is irrelevant to who should be financing the first 12 years of school.

Many of the things you mentioned in your second paragraph, I have an ambivalent feeling about, such as college loans, food stamps, and sanatariums, but the rest, I believe should be the responsibility of the taxpayers collectively, except for S&L Bailout, FEMA, and farm subsidies. Some things need to be discontinued.

Overall, it sounds like you have some valid attitudes.

[Once-Ler]

I am totally upset with our public school teachers' performance, as well as our college professors' collective attitudes, but that in itself is irrelevant to who should be financing the first 12 years of school.

I home school my children. My wife and I determined that the publicly funded schools were more harm than help. Until the public school system finds a way to teach morality I fear it will continue its downward spiral until most people avoid it like headstart.

Many of the things you mentioned in your second paragraph, I have an ambivalent feeling about, such as...

As I said your view is closer to majority opinion and I recognize that. I see nothing wrong with the majority voting for their pet social issue as long as they have the power to reverse it when that socialism proves malignant.
...like AFDC.

Thanx again for your response.

[de Buillion]

"I home school my children. My wife and I determined that the publicly funded schools were more harm than help. Until the public school system finds a way to teach morality I fear it will continue its downward spiral until most people avoid it like headstart. "

I agree completely with what you are doing, but I have no idea of what financial compensation that is available to you, and that does concern me. As you know, local schools recieve money from both local governments, and the federal govt. Is there anything available to homeschoolers? I believe that there should be vouchers for you, as well as approved religious schools. Public schools are becoming worthless, and dangerous.